Racket



July 29, 1924. 1,502,845

W. C. BLACHE RACKET Filed Sept. 39 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY ATT v RNEYJuly 29 1924'.

- 1,502,845 W. C. BLACHF RACKET' File 'sep 5,0,, 19%? I 2 Shana-Shear?1N VEN TOR Patented July 2a, 1924..

re s'r RAOKET.

Application filed. September 30, 1922. Serial No. 591,453.

To all whom it man concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER G. BLAoHE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Englewood, in the county of Bergen and Stateof New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rackets, fullydescribed and represented in the following specification and theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to rackets for playing tennis, squash, and othergames, and aims to provide a racket of great strength provided with a'large resilient playing surface.

Ordinary squash and tennis rackets are rovided with a single meshplaying surace lying in the median plane of the frameof the racket."This arrangement necessitates providing a plurality of closely spacedperforations in the frame for the passage of the cord which forms theplaying surface. Such perforations necessarily weaken the frame.Furthermore, in such rackets the area of the effective playing surfaceis materially less than the area included with the inner edge of theframe owing to the fact that the projection of the frame at each side ofthe playingsurface prevents a ball from striking the playing surfacesquarely unless the ball strikes the racket at some distance inside theinner edge of the frame.

A racket constructed. in accordance with the present invention is,provided with an imperforate frame and with two .mesh playing srrfacesat opposite sides of the frame and formed by a cord which is wound overthe frame.

The frame, even though made lighter than that of an ordinary racket, isnevertheless much stronger than the ordinary racket frame. i I

Since the frame of the new racket does not project beyond the outersides of the two playing surfaces, the efiective area of these surfacesis substantially equal to. thearea included within the outer edge of theframe,-

and is in consequence much greater in proportion to the size of theframe than the area of the effective playing surface of an ordinaryracket. i g

A. further feature of the invention consists in providing the frame withinternal bracing lying in its median plane and consequently spaced fromboth the playing surfaces so that it does not interfere with either ofthem. In this way the strength of the frame may be still furtherincreased.

()ther features and advantages of the invention are hereinafter pointedout in connection with a detailed description of a num her of specificembodiments of the invention I which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, 1n wh1ch:

Fig. 1 is aside view of a racket having a wooden frame strung with wireand provided with internal bracing;

Fig. 21s an edge view of the racket shown in Fig.1 looking from the leftin Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an edge View of the racket shown in Fig. 1 looking from theright in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section on the line H of Fig.1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 55 of Fig. 1; i

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side view, partly in section, showingthe mounting of the transverse braces of the racket shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 sa side view of a racket having a wooden frame strung with gut;

Fig. 8 is a partial side view of a racket having a tubular metal frameand strung with metal wire;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 9 9 of Fig. 8; andvFigs. 10, 11 and 12 show a modified form of tubular metal frame, Fig. 10being a transverse section of the frame on the line 10-10 of Fig.11, andFigs; 11 and 12 being fragmentary edge views of opposite sides of theframe.

The racket shown in Figs. 1 to 6 is provided with an ordinary handle 10and with an open frame 11 of ordinary shape extending from one end ofthe handle. The main portion of the frame 11 is formed by a wooden rim12 which differs incross-sectional shape from the. rim of anordinaryracket in that its sides 13 and 14 curveinwardly so that the outer edge15 of the rim 12 is wider than its inner edge 16.

At the inner end of the frame 11, the racket is provided with a throatpiece 20 which is similar to that of an ordinary racket except that ittapers inwardly as best seen in. Fig. 4. p

e The inner end of the handle 10 is provided with three transverse holes25. These holes pass through portions of the rim 12 and the throat piece20 which, as is usual in wooden rackets, are extended to form part ofthe handle 10. It should be noted, however, that the part of the rim 12which forms the open frame 11 is imperforate.

In order to position the loops of the cord which is WOUllCl over it, theframe 11 is provided at its outer edge with transverse grooves. Each ofthese grooves may extend continuously across the outer edge of the frameor may be interrupted in the middle portion of the outer edge. Thegrooves may, if desired, be formed directly in the rim 12. In the formillustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, however, the grooves are formed in a metalstrip which extends around the outer edge 15 of the rim 12 so that itforms a part of the frame 11. The inner surface 31 of the strip 30 isflatso that it fits against the outer edge 15 of the rim 12. The outersurface of the strip 30 may contain a central longitudinal groove 32whose purpose is to decrease the weightof the strip. The transversegrooves which extend across the outer surface of the strip 31, are, inconsequence, interrupted by the longitudinal groove 32. The arrangementof these transverse grooves may best be explained in connection with adescription of the way in which the racket is strung.

In stringing the racket the strip 30 is first placed around the outer ede of the rim 12 and one end of a cord 85 is secured to the frame 11 atA. The end of the cord may be secured by passing it around the frame atthis point as illustrated, or other known m thods of securing the end ofthe cord may be used. The cord 35 is then passed around the frame so asto form a transverse loop 1O. The bite 37 of this loop lies in the inn*rmost one of a set of transverse grooves 38 formed in the portion ofthe strip 30 which lies at the left hand side of the frame 11. This andthe other grooves 38 extend perpendicularly across the outer edge of theframe so that the two reaches of the loop lie in the same transverseplane of the frame.

After forming the loop 40 the cord 35 is passed over the right side ofthe frame 11 so that. it lies in the innermost of a set of trans versegrooves 39 which are formed in the portion of the strip 30 at the rightside of the frame 12. This groove, like the other grooves 89, extendsobliquely across the outer edge of the frame so that the cord 35, whendrawn into this groove, is brought to the side of the frame which istoward the observer in Fig. 1 at a point B, spaced outwardly from thpoint A. The winding of the cord 35 is continued in the same manner sothat the. cord forms a plurality of spaced transverse loops 40(including the loop L0 It will be understood that the grooves 39 areinclined in such manner as to space the lopps 40 evenly.

After forming the outermost loop 40 the cord 35 is passed over a groove&1 on the right hand side of the frame and is passed around one of a setof grooves &2 at the inner end of the frame to form a longitudinal loopThe cord is then wound about the the transverse holes 35' instead ofover grooves 42. After the longitudinal loops 45 have been formed theend of the cord is fastened to the frame at C.

In forming each reach of each of the longitudinal loops 45 the cord isinterlaced with the transverse loops as it is passed across the frame.Each turn of the cord is drawn very tight during the winding so thatwhen the winding is completed the reaches of the loops 4:0 and 45 formmesh playing surfaces stretched across opposite sides of the frame 11.

It has been found that in winding on the cord 35 in the mannerdescribed, the strip 30 is drawn tightly against the outer edge 15 ofthe rim 12 all the way around the frame. provide any means other thanthe cord 36 for fastening the strip to the rim. It is desirable,however, to secure the ends of the strip 30 to the handle 10 by means ofa wrapping d6.

It has long been recognized that a racket strung with wire provides atighter and more durable playing surface than one strung with gut, Ithas been found, however, that a perforated wooden frame of ordinaryconstruction has not sufficientstrength to permitstringing the racketwith wire. The imperforate frame of the racket described, however, is ofsufficient strength to permit this, and in consequence, I prefer tomakev the cord 35 of wire.

W hen the racket is thus strung with wire. I have found it desirable,although not abso lutely essential, to stiffen the frame by means ofinternal bracing. In Figs. 1. and 6 I 'have illustrated one form of suchbracing.

The bracing there illustrated comprises two transverse struts and twodiagonal stays 51. The bracing is, of course, placed in position beforethe cord 35 is wound about the frame. 1 The struts 50 are preferablyhollow metal tubes. Seats 53 for the ends of the struts are formed onthe inner edge of the frame 11. Each of the seats 53 contains a shallowhole 54. The ends of the struts are placed in these holes by It is notnecessary, therefore, to i springing the sides of the frame outwardly toa slight extent. The stays 51, which may consist of pieces of steelwire, are secured to the frame 11 by looping their ends about the frame.Grooves 52 may be provided in the outer edge of the frame for the loopsat the ends of the stays. The stays 51 and the cord 35 prevent the sidesof the frame from springing outwardly so that the ends of the struts areheld securely in the holes 54:.

In Fig. 7 there is illustrated a racket similar to that shown in Figs. 1to 6, except that this racket. is strung with gut instead of with wireso that no internal bracing is required.

Figs. 8 and 12 illustrate the application of the invention to a rackethaving a metal frame. has a frame 11 which consists of an imperforatetubular metal rim 12 of circular cross-section and a curved metal strip30 adapted to fit over the outer edge of the tubular rim 12'. The metalstrip 30 is provided with a central longitudinal groove 32, and withtransverse grooves 38, 39, 4:1" and 42 arranged in the same mannersimilar to the grooves 38, 39, 41 and 42 of the strip 30 shown in Figs.1, 2, 3 and 5. The construction of the racket shown in Figs. 8 and 9 isotherwise similar to that which has been described in connection withFigs. 1 to 6 except that no internal bracing need be provided.

In Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are shown portions of a racket frame 11 which maybe substituted for the frame 11 in the racket shown in Figs. 8 and 9.The frame 11 consists of a tubular metal rim 12 of circularcrosssection. No edge strip is used in connection with this rim, butinstead, the grooves which position the loops of the winding take theform of depressions 38", 39 which extend across the outer edge of thetubular rim and are arranged in a manner similar tothe transversegrooves in the strips 30 and 30.

It is apparent that the tubular frames illustrated in Figs. 8 to 12 maybe made extremely light and extremely strong owing both to the fact thatthey are not perforated and the fact that they are circular incrosssection.

All the modifications of the invention which have been described provideeffective playing surfaces of considerably greater area than thatprovided in an ordinary racket of the same size, because the frame doesnot project beyond the playing surfaces and so cannot prevent a ballfrom striking either playing surface squarely. Furthermore, owing to theinward taper of the rim 12, the reaches of the cord 35 are in contactwith the sides of the rim only near the outer edge of the rim (see Fig.5). It follows that the racket The racket shown in Figs. 8 and 9 shownin Figs. 1 to 6, as well as that illustrated in Fig. 7, providesresilient playing surfaces having an area substantially as great as thearea included within the outer edge of the frame. In the case of tubularframe rackets illustrated in Figs. 8 to 12, the reaches of the cord lieout of contact with the inner half of the frame (see Fig. 9) so that thesame advantage is obtained, although to a slightly less extent.

Although in describing specific embodiments of the invention I havereferred to the materials of which I prefer to construct different partsof the rackets, I wish it clearly understood that my invention isindependent of the particular materials used except in so far as theparticular materials are specified in the claims which follow. Where theword cord is used in the specification and claims, it should beunderstood that I am using this term in a general sense to include oneor more pieces of gut, wire or other material with which rackets may bestrung.

While the shape if the frames of the rackets illustrated is that of anordinary tennis racket, it should be understood that the invention isequally applicable to rackets for use in playing squash or other games,and that the shape of the frame may be modified in accordance with theparticular use for which the racket is intended.

What is claimed is:

1. A. racket having an open frame having a plurality of spacedtransverse grooves in its outer edge, the grooves on one side and oneend of the frame being perpendicular to the frame, and the grooves atthe other side and the other endof the frame being oblique to the frame,and a cord wound about the frame and forming a plurality of,spacedtransverse loops and a plurality of spaced longitudinal loops positionedby said grooves. I

2. A racket having an open frame comprising an imperforate tubular rimof circular cross-section, and a cord wound over the frame so as to forma set of transverse loops and a set of-longitudina-l loops, the framebeing provided with means for positioning the loops of each set inspaced relation.

3. A racket having an open frame formed of an imp'erforate metal tube ofcircular cross-section, having a plurality of depressions extendingacross its outer edge, the depressions on one side and one end of theframe being perpendicular to the axis of the tube and the depressions atthe other I 8 side and other end of the frame being ob lique to the axisof the tube, and a cord wound about the frame and engaging saiddepressions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER C. BLAGHE,

